Tiana Bennett

Ko Mauao te Maunga
Ko Tauranga te Moana
Ko Mataatua me Takitimu nga Waka
Ko Ngaiterangi me Ngati Ranginui oku Iwi
Ko Whanau a Tauwhao me Ngati Hangarau oku Hapu
Ko Tiana Bennett ahau

Significant moments in our lives can be portrayed in songs and stories that can take us to past events, relationships, places and times. For iwi Maori, the passing down of knowledge is an integral process, in allowing growth and development to occur. We are a unique people with a foundation of tikanga that is based on a distinct system of values, beliefs, traditions and customs that have been passed down this way. The story of Mauao has contributed to my own personal and professional growth, highlighting mauri-ora to me and how this has shaped my life today.

I have been fortunate to grow up among the graciousness of my maunga, Mauao and the sparkling shores of Tauranga Moana. It is an area full of abundance in both resources and environment and preserves a cultural heritage that is complete with richness.

The story of Mauao has significant meaning to me. It speaks of emotions involving love, rejection, hopelessness, desperation and the strength and mana that one can achieve. Mauao is that symbol of strength, the mauri, the rhythm and the cultural heartbeat which can be seen from anywhere within Tauranga Moana. He is a reminder to us all, every day, of whom we are and where we come from. The traditional theoretical base of whenua, whakapapa, whanau, whakatauki, waiata, the telling of stories, "taonga tuku iho" the many gifts that have been passed down, are integral in working alongside our people.

During my thirty years involved in the social service, health and education sectors, it has been these values that have had a huge influence for me in securing mahi that enables me to work alongside my whanau, hapu, iwi and the community that I live in.

Health Promotion ‘is the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health' (WHO, Ottawa Charter 1986). In late 1998, I was fortunate to secure employment as a health promoter with the public health unit of the Bay of Plenty DHB. I remember thinking, "I'm getting paid for doing the things that I do and love". This position enabled me to work with and alongside my community, my people in enhancing their health and wellbeing, their mauri-ora.

Some two years later, I was struck down with a disability that had a significant affect on my life, both on a personal and professional level. The passion, enthusiasm and commitment to my people, were the driving forces that kept me going and involved. However, after 18 months and living with the constant battle of my disability, I made a decision to leave the work that I loved. It was a hard decision, but in the end it became an easy one. I realized my health was important and if I wanted to support my people in the best way I could, I had to walk the talk and get my health back on track.

For two years, while returning to study and working part-time, I began to gain strength and adapt to living with my disability. When I believed I had gained enough strength to obtain full time employment, I secured a position that once again enabled me to support and awhi the young people of our community. Health Promotion in action once again. After three years in this position, an opportunity was given to me to become a member of the Te Wananga o Aotearoa whanau teaching social work to adult learners. This position was very rewarding and once again, I saw it as a way of supporting my community, by creating better futures for themselves and their whanau in pursuit of their mauri-ora.

I now work as a Health Promoter with the Western Bay of Plenty PHO. Over the years, I have developed other health conditions which have also impacted on my wairua, my mauri-ora. However, in saying this, I strongly believe that my own personal health experiences have supported and assisted me in my present position. As a ‘participatory researcher' I am able to bring a personal perspective to my work, endeavouring to walk the talk and be a role model in my efforts to support whanau, hapu and iwi. I am grateful to once again, to secure a position that allows me to fulfill a passion and enthusiasm to support whanau in their pursuit of mauri-ora.

There are questions that I ask myself about the mahi and activities I have been involved in for all these years. Is it making a difference? Are the messages reaching whanau and most importantly, are the whanau taking control of their lives in improving their health in pursuit of mauri-ora? Coming back into the health industry after eight or so years, I do believe health promotion is making a difference. I've seen our people take on board the messages, they have adapted, they are listening and they are active in their pursuit to have better health. I am encouraged that the passing down of knowledge has allowed growth and development to occur. The taonga whenua, whakapapa, whanau, whakatauki, waiata and the telling of stories, are paramount as our people are reminded of the past and look towards the future in gaining knowledge that will allow them to take control of their lives.

For me, as kaimahi, a facilitator of learning, it is imperative that I come from a strong place of positioning, knowing who I am, where I come from and what bodies of knowledge inform my practice. I do this with passion, desire, aroha, commitment, responsibility and obligation in wanting to support and tautoko my whanau, hapu and iwi. It is my aspiration to be effective in the mahi that I do and in achieving this, it is important that I keep in touch and embrace the knowledge, experiences and understanding of all things Maori that have been passed down by our tupuna.

He aha te mea nui o tenei ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.